JERUSALEM — The Israeli government on Thursday urged its citizens to avoid travel to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, citing threats of Iranian attacks. Iran has been threatening to attack Israeli targets since its chief nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was assassinated last Friday near Tehran. It accuses Israel, which...
Bahrain To Allow Israel Flights To UAE Over Its Airspace
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Bahrain will allow “all flights coming to and departing from the United Arab Emirates” to cross through the island kingdom's airspace — a statement apparently allowing Israeli flights after neighboring Saudi Arabia issued a similar announcement. The state-run Bahrain News Agency made the announcement without...
First Direct Israel-UAE Flight Lands in Abu Dhabi Amid Deal
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — A Star of David-adorned El Al plane flew from Israel to the United Arab Emirates on Monday, carrying a high-ranking American and Israeli delegation to Abu Dhabi in the first-ever direct commercial passenger flight between the two countries. The Israeli flag carrier’s flight marked...
Palestinians in Gaza Rally Against Israel-UAE Deal
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Hundreds of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday rallied against the U.S.-brokered deal to normalize ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Protesters burned Israeli and American flags, trampled on posters of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump, and chanted...
Palestinians Say UAE Deal Hinders Quest for Mideast Peace
JERUSALEM — Israel's agreement to establish diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates marks a watershed moment in its relations with Arab countries, but the Palestinians say it puts a just resolution of the Middle East conflict even farther out of reach. The UAE presented its decision to upgrade longstanding ties...
Trump: Israel to Establish Full Diplomatic Ties with UAE, Halt Annexation
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United Arab Emirates and Israel have agreed to establish full diplomatic ties as part of a deal to halt the annexation of occupied land sought by the Palestinians for their future state. The announcement makes the UAE...
Report: Popular Chat App a Spy Tool for Mideast Government
NEW YORK — A chat app that quickly became popular in the United Arab Emirates for communicating with friends and family is actually a spying tool used by the government to track its users, according to a newspaper report. The government uses ToTok to track conversations, locations, images and other...
Iran State TV: Iranian Forces Seize Foreign Oil Tanker, Crew
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard forces seized a foreign oil tanker accused of smuggling oil, Iran's state TV reported Thursday. The vessel appears to be a United Arab Emirates-based tanker that had disappeared off trackers in Iranian territorial waters over the weekend. The seizure was the latest in...
US Fears Iran Seized UAE-Based Tanker in Strait of Hormuz
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — A small oil tanker from the United Arab Emirates traveling through the Strait of Hormuz entered Iranian waters and turned off its tracker two days ago, leading the U.S. to suspect Iran seized the vessel amid heightened tensions in the region, an American defense official...
Tankers Targeted Near Strait of Hormuz Amid Iran-US Tensions
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Two oil tankers near the strategic Strait of Hormuz came under a suspected attack Thursday, setting one of them ablaze in the latest mysterious assault targeting vessels in a region crucial to global energy supplies amid heightened tension between Iran and the U.S. The U.S....